Systems and methods for contacting emergency personnel via voice recognition

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods for contacting emergency personnel via voice recognition are provided. Some methods include detecting and identifying, via voice recognition, a first predetermined phrase, determining whether a second predetermined phrase is detected and identified, via voice recognition, within a predetermined period of time after detection and identification of the first predetermined phrase, and when the second predetermined phrase is detected and identified within the predetermined period of time, contacting emergency personnel.

FIELD

The present invention relates generally to systems and methods forcontacting emergency personnel. More particularly, the present inventionrelates to systems and methods for contacting emergency personnel viavoice recognition.

BACKGROUND

Systems and methods to prevent an intruder, such as a thief, frombreaking into a monitored region, such as a home, in an unauthorizedmanner are known. However, it is possible that the intruder can force anauthorized occupant of the monitored region, such as a home owner, todisarm a security system, thereby ending monitoring of the region oralerting emergency personnel that a previously activated security systemalarm does not need further attention.

In view of the above, there is a continuing, ongoing need for improvedsystems and methods.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of a method in accordance with disclosedembodiments;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a system in accordance with disclosedembodiments;

FIG. 3 is a screen shot of a screen displayed on a user interface deviceof a system in accordance with disclosed embodiments;

FIG. 4 is a screen shot of a screen displayed on a user interface deviceof a system in accordance with disclosed embodiments;

FIG. 5 is a screen shot of a screen displayed on a user interface deviceof a system in accordance with disclosed embodiments;

FIG. 6 is a screen shot of a screen displayed on a user interface deviceof a system in accordance with disclosed embodiments; and

FIG. 7 is a screen shot of a screen displayed on a user interface deviceof a system in accordance with disclosed embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

While this invention is susceptible of an embodiment in many differentforms, there are shown in the drawings and will be described herein indetail specific embodiments thereof with the understanding that thepresent disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of theprinciples of the invention. It is not intended to limit the inventionto the specific illustrated embodiments.

Embodiments disclosed herein can include systems and methods forcontacting emergency personnel via voice recognition. For example, whenan intruder has entered a monitored region, an authorized occupant ofthe secured region can take an action that is detected and identified bythe security system as instructions to contact emergency personnel, suchas police, but that fails to alert the intruder of the authorizedoccupant's request to contact emergency personnel.

In accordance with disclosed embodiments, systems and methods disclosedherein can include voice recognition. Accordingly, systems and methodscan facilitate users contacting emergency personnel from anywhere withina monitored region and without making contact with a security systemmonitoring the region.

In some embodiments, systems and methods disclosed herein can detect andidentify a first predetermined condition and, if the systems and methodsdisclosed herein detect and identify a second predetermined conditionwithin a predetermined period of time after detection and identificationof the first predetermined condition, then systems and methods disclosedherein can contact emergency personnel. However, if the systems andmethods disclosed herein fail to detect and identify the secondpredetermined condition within the predetermined period of time afterdetecting and identifying the second predetermined condition, then thesystems and methods disclosed herein can abstain from contactingemergency personnel. Because detection and identification of bothpredetermined conditions are required prior to detection of emergencypersonnel, the likelihood of a false alarm, such as contacting securitypersonnel when not necessary, can be reduced.

According to disclosed embodiments, the first and second predeterminedconditions can include systems and methods identifying and detecting,via voice recognition, first and second predetermined words or phrases.For example, the first predetermined condition can include the systemsand methods disclosed herein identifying and detecting, via voicerecognition, the phrase “Don't hurt me” said by an authorized occupantof a monitored region, and the second predetermined condition caninclude the systems and methods disclosed herein identifying anddetecting, via voice recognition, the word “Please” said by anauthorized occupant of the monitored region. In some embodiments, thesystems and methods disclosed herein can identify and detect each of thefirst and second predetermined words or phrases said individually orwithin a larger phrase or sentence.

In some embodiments, users of the systems and methods disclosed herein,such as an authorized occupant of a monitored region, can configure thefirst and second predetermined conditions, for example, by identifyingthe first and second predetermined words or phrases. For example,systems and methods can be placed in a voice recognition mode forlearning the predetermined conditions and predetermined words or phrasesas disclosed herein before being placed in an armed or ready mode formonitoring the region. For effectiveness, it is preferred that the firstand second predetermined words or phrases are not otherwise likely to besaid together or within the predetermined period of time.

In some embodiments, after the systems and methods disclosed hereinidentify the first predetermined word or phrase, systems and methodsdisclosed herein can start a timer to continuously monitor for detectionand identification of the second predetermined word or phrase. If thesecond predetermined word or phrase is detected and identified within apredetermined period of time, then systems and methods disclosed hereincan contact emergency personnel, for example, by calling local police,without alerting an intruder of the contact. However, if the secondpredetermined word or phrase is not detected and identified within thesecond predetermined period of time, then systems and methods disclosedherein can abstain from contacting emergency personnel and continuemonitoring the region.

FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of a method 100 in accordance with disclosedembodiments. As seen in FIG. 1, the method 100 can include a securitysystem being placed in an armed mode as in 105 and determining whether auser needs to record or re-record words or phrases for subsequentdetection by the security system as in 110. If not, then the method 100can stay in the alarm mode as in 105.

However, if the method 100 determines that a user needs to record orre-record words or phrases as in 110, then the method 100 can includethe security system being placed in a learning mode as in 115. Once inthe learning mode, the method 100 can include receiving verbal userinput and using voice recognition to identify, detect, and record firstand second words or phrases for subsequent detection by the securitysystem 120. After recording the identified and detected words or phrasesas in 120, the method 100 can include the security system re-enteringthe armed mode as in 105.

When in the armed mode as in 105, the method 100 can include determiningwhether the security system has detected and identified a firstpredetermined condition as in 125. For example, the method 100 candetermine whether the security system has detected and identified, viavoice recognition, the previously recorded first word or phrase. If not,then, the method 100 can continue operation as in 105. However, when themethod 100 determines that the security system has detected andidentified the first predetermined condition as in 125, the method 100can include setting and starting a clock for a predetermined period oftime as in 130 and determining whether the security system has detectedand identified a second predetermined condition as in 135. For example,the method 100 can determine whether the security system has detectedand identified, via voice recognition, the previously recorded secondword or phrase. If not, then the method 100 can include determiningwhether the predetermined period of time has expired as in 140. If so,then the method 100 can continue operation as in 105. However, if themethod 100 determines that the predetermined period of time has not yetexpired as in 140, then the method can continue determining whether thesecurity system has detected and identified the second predeterminedcondition as in 135.

When the security system has detected and identified the secondpredetermined condition as in 135, the method 100 can include contactingemergency personnel as 145.

The method 100 of FIG. 1 and others in accordance with disclosedembodiments can be executed via a security system that includes acontrol panel local to a monitored region. In some embodiments, thesecurity system can include one or more microphones dispersed throughoutthe monitored region for receiving verbal user input for subsequentvoice recognition by the security system. For example, in someembodiments, the control panel can include a microphone in or on thecontrol panel.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a system 200 in accordance with disclosedembodiments. For example, in some embodiments, the system 200 caninclude a control panel of a security system. However, in someembodiments, the system 200 can include a user's cellular telephone orother personal digital assistant that is in communication, eitherdirectly or indirectly, with a security system as disclosed herein.

As seen in FIG. 2, the system 200 can include can include a wired orwireless transceiver 210, a user interface device 220, a database device230, and a microphone 240, each of which can be in bidirectionalcommunication with control circuitry 250, one or more programmableprocessors 250 a, and executable control software 250 b as would beunderstood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The executable controlsoftware 250 b can be stored on a transitory or non-transitory computerreadable medium, including, but not limited to, local computer memory,RAM, optical storage media, magnetic storage media, flash memory, andthe like. In some embodiments, the control circuitry 250, theprogrammable processor 250 a, and the control software 250 b can executeand control the methods describe above and herein.

In some embodiments, the system 200 can communicate with a remotemonitoring station via the transceiver 210, and in some embodiments, thesystem 200 can communicate with emergency personnel via the transceiver210. For example, in some embodiments, the system 200 can call police ona telephone network via the transceiver 210.

The user interface device 220 can include one or more user inputmechanisms and one or more user output mechanisms. For example, in someembodiments, the user interface device 220 can display each of theexemplary screens shown in FIGS. 3-7 for communicating with a user.

When the system 200 is in an armed mode, the user interface device 220can display the screen 300 shown in FIG. 3 that, for example, displaysinformation and options for a user. However, when the user providesinput indicative of a need to enter a learning mode or the system 200identifies a need to enter a learning mode, the user interface device220 can display the screen 400 shown FIG. 4 to solicit whether the userwishes to enable the security feature of contacting emergency personnelresponsive to voice recognition as described above and herein and/or candisplay the screen 500 shown in FIG. 5 to determine whether the userneeds to re-record previously recorded words or phrases for voicerecognition thereof.

If the user provides affirmative input to the user interface device 220displaying the screen 400 or the screen 500, then the user interfacedevice 220 can subsequently and successively display the screen 600shown in FIG. 6 and the screen 700 shown in FIG. 7 to detect, identify,and record or re-record first and second words or phrases said by theuser for subsequent detection and identification by the security system.For example, the microphone 240 can receive the words or phrases said bythe user, and the received words or phrases can be saved or recorded inthe database device 230.

Although a few embodiments have been described in detail above, othermodifications are possible. For example, the logic flows described abovedo not require the particular order described, or sequential order, toachieve desirable results. Other steps may be provided, or steps may beeliminated, from the described flows, and other components may be addedto, or removed from, the described systems. Other embodiments may bewithin the scope of the invention.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations andmodifications may be effected without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation withrespect to the specific system or method described herein is intended orshould be inferred. It is, of course, intended to cover all suchmodifications as fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

1. A method comprising: a security system receiving user input to enablea voice recognition emergency contact feature: the security systemstoring a first recording of a first word or phrase; the security systemstoring a second recording of a second word or phrase; the securitysystem detecting and identifying the first word or phrase by comparingaudio taken from a region monitored by the security system to the firstrecording of the first word or phrase when the security system is in anarmed mode; the security system determining whether the second word orphrase is detected and identified within a predetermined period of timeafter detection and identification of the first word or phrase bycomparing the audio to the second recording of the second word orphrase; and the security system contacting emergency personnel when thesecond word or phrase is detected and identified within thepredetermined period of time. 2-3. (canceled)
 4. The method of claim 1wherein the security system detecting and identifying the first wordphrase or the second word or phrase includes detecting and identifyingthe first word or phrase or the second word or phrase when saidindividually.
 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the security systemdetecting and identifying the first word or phrase or the second word orphrase includes detecting and identifying the first word or phrase orthe second word or phrase when said within a larger phrase. 6-7.(canceled)
 8. The method of claim 1 further comprising: when the secondword or phrase is detected or identified after expiration of thepredetermined period of time, abstaining from contacting the emergencypersonnel; and when the second word or phrase fails to be detected andidentified, abstaining from contacting the emergency personnel. 9-10.(canceled)
 11. A security system comprising: a transceiver; and aprogrammable processor, wherein the programmable processor receives userinput to enable a voice recognition emergency contact feature, whereinthe programmable processor stores a first recording of a first word orphrase, wherein the programmable processor stores a second recording ofa second word or phrase, wherein the programmable processor detects andidentifies the first word or phrase by comparing audio taken from aregion monitored by the security system to the first recording of thefirst word or phrase when the security system is in an armed mode,wherein the programmable processor determines whether a second word orphrase is detected and identified within a predetermined period of timeafter detection and identification of the first word or phrase bycomparing the audio to the second recording of the second word orphrase, and wherein, when the programmable processor detects andidentifies the second word or phrase within the predetermined period oftime, the programmable processor contacts emergency personnel, via thetransceiver.
 12. The system of claim 11 further comprising: amicrophone, wherein the programmable processor records the first word orphrase using the microphone.
 13. The system of claim 12, wherein theprogrammable processor records the second word or phrase using themicrophone.
 14. The system of claim 11, wherein the programmableprocessor detecting and identifying the first word or phrase or thesecond word or phrase includes the programmable processor detecting andidentifying the first word or phrase or the second word or phrase whensaid individually.
 15. The system of claim 11, wherein the programmableprocessor detecting and identifying the first word or phrase or thesecond word or phrase includes the programmable processor detecting andidentifying the first word or phrase or the second word or phrase whensaid within a larger phrase. 16-17. (canceled)
 18. The system of claim11, wherein, when the programmable processor detects or identifies thesecond word or phrase after expiration of the predetermined period oftime, the programmable processor abstains from contacting the emergencypersonnel, and, when the programmable processor fails to detect thesecond word or phrase, the programmable processor abstains fromcontacting the emergency personnel. 19-20. (canceled)